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Trustee raises concerns that proposed bylaw change would restrict minority trustees' document access

Rochester Community Schools Board of Education
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Summary

At a second reading of a board handbook and bylaw update, Trustee Lacoui argued that a change to section 1.5 would limit individual trustees' ability to request documents and could force minority trustees to use FOIA; trustees disputed counts of prior requests and the item remained under debate at the Dec. 8 meeting.

A proposed bylaw amendment under second reading drew sustained debate Dec. 8 after one trustee warned it would constrain individual trustees’ access to district documents.

What was proposed: The amendment to section 1.5 of the board handbook would centralize requests for district records through the president or the board, rather than allowing each trustee to directly request existing documents, according to the proposal under discussion.

Trustee concern: Trustee Lacoui (identified in the meeting transcript) said the change "takes us from each trustee can request existing documents to only the board, through the president, can make those requests," and argued the policy would disadvantage minority trustees by forcing FOIA requests (and potential fees) to see materials necessary for oversight. Lacoui offered a tally of recent information requests and cabinet notes as evidence that the volume of trustee requests was not excessive.

Responses and process: Other trustees raised points of order and disputed the accuracy or completeness of the counts Lacoui cited; the board paused the exchange to allow further discussion and responses. The transcript ends with the item still under discussion in the provided excerpt.

Why it matters: The dispute concerns board oversight and transparency. Trustees argued about the operational burden of document requests and about preserving timely access for elected trustees who oversee a multi-hundred-million-dollar district budget.

Next steps: The bylaw item remained under discussion in the meeting excerpt; a final vote or amendment text was not recorded in the provided transcript.